chris French wrote in
:

soaking may well get them going quicker, but I guess doesn't really
confer much benefit if you can just sow a couple of weeks earlier

I agree but with the weather and other obstacles, this year has gotten off
to a slow start for us here, and have sowed as early as possible.
Also my other half has just reminded me that on our first ever attempt at
any sort of veg growing ended in disaster when 90% of the bean seeds rotted
in the ground, or they at least did not germinate. That was a great start
to veg gardening, I can tell you. That first year we had to buy them as
plants from a local market, expensive.

Take care,
Baz